Life of Darkened Grey
by dragoncaller45
Summary: Reborn through shadows, a man awakens. Thrice he shall fall, but stand back up tall. He will contemplate failure, and almost get consumed by it. Raised among the light, she made a friend of the darkness. She will raise him thrice, pull him from his failures. Together they will show the universe that not everything is concrete, and sometimes its best to accept the shades of Grey.
1. chapter 1 Of New Life

**A/N: Not a hundred percent sure whether this will continue or not. Tell me if you like it and it WILL continue without a doubt. P.S. Yes, yes I fuckin did. Thank ya kindly for stopping in. Please enjoy**

A second chance at life would excite most. Horrify others. And have people somewhere in the midway. I was...a bit of an outlier. I just...didn't care. Three days before my death my best friend and his families house went up in smoke. I got fired for missing the days while grieving. And to put the cherry on top, got killed by a _police officer_ who was trying to shoot the man behind me...by shooting _through_ me.

…

…

…

You could say I was a tad disillusioned with the thought of another life. And as if the universe couldn't hammer the point of me having shit luck harder, I was a damn test tube baby. And, if the tall and freaky aliens outside the pod of mine were what I thought they were, then I was a clone. But...that couldn't be. My skin was _red_ for one. I could feel everything around me in an intimate way, even hear thoughts and read emotions.

 _ **The force...**_

My traitorous logic informed. Not to mention I was in a room made all for me that was, in all probability, miles beneath the...surface? Sea level? The fuck was it called on Kamino? Ah, who cares, I was a special clone. One who could use the force. It had been-if my makers were only visiting once or twice a day-almost a year trapped in here, listening to the planet, to the animals, to the sea. Listening to the thoughts of the clones, of the scientists, of the dangerous yet fair man who all these thousands above me were based off of. Which also meant a slow year of boredom. My growth rate seemed normal, though, again, test tube baby. But, hey, at least it could be-

"So this is the child?" A wizened old voice drawled, scaring me from my focus so bad I twitched in my pod.

' _I didn't even finish the thought goddamnit!'_ I mentally shouted, my small eyes meeting those of the not-yet-emperor himself. They were curious, those yellowish-blue eyes. The way they glinted when ours connected was...worrying.

"Is he aware?" The man asked. Without even awaiting an answer he walked forward, coming within inches of my pod. The scientist began to ramble out a genetic-jargon version of 'no.' I felt a dark, angry, sickening brush of something against my connection to the force.

' _GET AWAY!'_ I felt justified in the way I thrashed in that pod, pushing _everything_ away from me in an attempt to keep Palpatine's presence as far from my own as possible. Unfortunately, the saying 'didn't know my own strength' was scarily accurate. Everything in the room flew backwards, Palpatine and the Kaminoan included. When both had shaken off the rather hearty shove, pulling themselves back into a standing position, the room had been cleared. All the precious equipment having been flung into not-so-neat little rows along the bottom of the walls.

"Good lord…" I heard the taller humanoid mutter, looking aghast. Palpatine looked as if christmas had come early. Twice. On the same day, with double the gifts. And another christmas was to happen later in the year. In other words _really fuckin pleased with himself._

"How long until he can begin training?" The man asked in barely withheld excitement. The scientist looked at his notes, muttering some mumbo-jumbo about calculations.

"His muscle strength should be good enough once we start physical therapy-"

"Start it tomorrow." The old man said. "Jedi begin training at three, so can he, it's clear he is ready." The scientist looked hesitant but nodded, leading the old man from the room, ordering two guards-' _Since when did I have guards?'_ -to clean up the mess.

"Whoa…" One of them muttered in the sexy voice of Dee Bradley Baker. "Looks like a non-thermal went off in here…" He trailed off, the visor of his helmet trained onto me. Or, rather, on his partner, who was a few inches from my pod, helmet off and having a staring contest with me.

' _Jokes on you, this fluid keeps my eyes ready, I don't_ need _to blink!'_ I crowed victoriously in my head, snickering mentally when he lost, rubbing his abused eyes and grumbling obscenities. He and the other soon got to cleaning, leaving me to contemplate...well, a lot. Firstly; I was made for Palpatine as perhaps a student or weapon. Shit. Secondly; I was _three._ I had spent _three years_ trapped inside this little pod...time flies, huh? Thirdly; I was going to be alive for the clone wars...and probably _against_ the clones. Fuck. A. Rancor.

"Hey, Gundark looking kid." A finger tapped against my pod. I felt an odd kinship with fish in that moment. I also knew what a gundark was, so my glare at him was extra baleful. He looked surprised as he skidded back a few inches...or feet...alright so I threw him on his ass-but it was an accident, I swear! "Damn, kiddo!" The trooper laughed, pulling himself up with his compatriots help.

"Idiot…" His partner mumbled. They both stepped close to my pod, though, looking curiouser then kittens. "I wonder what the big shots are doing with a kid that can use the force…" His partner snorted.

"Forget it, Izu, they probably were looking for a way to mass-produce generals just like they mass produce _us._ " The one on the left said. Now that they were closer I could see an odd paint job on his helmet. It looked like a string of gauze wrapping around his nose and head.

"Ko!" The one on the left-who also had a unique marking, a splash of black paint covering his right eye and surrounding area-shouted, cuffing his friends head. "Don't talk like that, it's disrespectful!" 'Izu' reprimanded.

' _Christ these two are like a slapstick comedy duo.'_ I thought to myself, watching as they devolved into senseless bickering over the smallest stuff while working on cleaning. ' _The nicknames they've given themselves are familiar too…'_ I hummed in my tank, thinking nothing more of it as they neared completion.

 _ **Vwhoo-buong**_

Something flew across the room in front of me….my god. The idiots were throwing shit at each other. I would normally call this childlike, but the way they threw shit was professional and skilled. Like they were used to throwing stuff with the intent to kill. Knife throwing was a clone skill, perhaps?

"Incoming!" While in my thoughts on the 'fight' happening, I forgot all about said fight. It was the excuse I gave myself for panic yanking.

 **(For those of you who are unaware, 'panic _'ing is a force user panicking and relying on instinct. In this case, he curled up like you would on reflex should something try to hit your face. He, however, accidentally did that through the force, sending the object closer and faster instead.)**

The object-a small, cylindrical thing-suddenly changed course mid air, shooting into his pod...and staying.

"Oh...shit." Ko rather accurately stated when the hole the little thing punched began to send a spiderweb of cracks across the surface. In a childlike fit of vengeance, I sent a large bubble of annoyance into their minds through the force. And then my pod shattered. I could hear some far off warning device begin to whine. The fear, panic, and general 'oh shit' emotions that suddenly flared from the scientists far above-combined with the confusion of thousands of clones-told me exactly what that alarm was for.

"Ko!" I twitched on the floor, steadily making my way into control.

"That wasn't me! The damn thing changed direction mid-flight!" Regaining my sense of direction, I made to stand.

"Well, you started it!" I finally, _finally_ managed to get up on my own power after years.

"Bullshit I did!" I shook out my limbs, toddlering over to the arguing clones and patting the leftmost ones shin guard for attention. He looked down at me, lost.

"Your fault." I said, using the force to enhance the kick I planted on his shin. His partner, Izu, laughed loudly at the, visibly enjoying the way that Ko hopped around, cursing silently in Kaminoan while he tried to stay balanced. I laughed with the other clone. We kept laughing-me leaning against him, him leaning against a wall-when the scientists rushed in, freezing and looking rather flabbergasted at the clone rolling on the floor, holding his shin while we laughed with over him.

"Snnrk…" One snorted, another chuckled because of it. In a matter of moments, we were all laughing at the stupidity of the moment. Except Ko, he was very embarrassed.

 **-Four years, Nine months, Twenty Four days Later-**

It had been a trip thus far. That's about all he could say for his second life. Intense training with palpatine and his new, _proper_ apprentice, Maul. Trying to not get used to the clones-and failing miserably. Yep. A real...real…' _oh lord, it's happening again.'_

 _A sudden lack of noise, a thrumming sensation through his very being...Ahsoka Tano stood before him, attentive as she stared at something to his right._

"Oh dear…" he drawled, barely withholding a smirk at the way she stiffened, her eyes hardening in determination as she stared at whichever Jedi was teaching her and the other group of Padawan learners. "Have I come at a bad time, again?" The way her eyes flicked to him for less than a second spoke a thousand words. He stood from his chair, placing the datapad he _should_ have been studying aside as he strolled forward, walking in circles around her with a chuckle. "I really must stop making a habit of this…"

"Shoo!" She snapped under her breath, her eyes flickering about before she visibly forced herself to act casual. He eyed her robes, watching as they swayed and fluttered a small bit.

"Your in the gardens…" He guessed, turning away from her and walking up to the place where he assumed the Jedi she was listening to would be. He turned back to look at her with a smirk. "And your instructor is somewhere around here…" He gestured to the area, enjoying how her little fingers twitched, probably wanting to wrap around his equally little neck. "I'd say its...eight or nine in the morning." He estimated, remembering that Coruscant was the galactic basis for the Universal Galactic Clock, and calculating for the distance. His smirk widened with her eyes. She straightened, bowing.

"Thank you for the lesson, master." Ahsoka scurried off, walking through his wall. He jogged out of the room, skidding a bit as he pulled to a halt, his all black outfit and red skin clashing with the whitewashed corridor.

"Ahsoka…" He trailed off, watching her hang a sudden right through the corridor wall...into open air. He walked to the nearest window-it being a few feet from her position curled up in, well, midair. "I presume you are alone?" He asked, his own brown eyes darting to be sure the corridor to his rooms was clear. He leaned against the windowsill while smirking down at her, she glared up at him, resting on her heels. She seemed to have hidden in a bush of some kind.

"You have the suckiest timing!" She whisper-shouted, no doubt trying to be stealthy. "And what are you doing?" She asked, staring at his body.

"Ah." He murmured. "I presume there is no branch or object I'm leaning against for you?" Her head shook in the negative. He hummed quietly. "Well I do suppose we're even." He said with a shrug.

"What do you mean?" She asked quietly.

"On my end you are outside, in the pouring rain, floating in _midair._ " He deadpanned, chuckling a bit at her smothered giggles and shaking shoulders. "Anyways, how've you been?" He asked.

"Ehh, lessons are boring, but I'm getting better at staying focused." She said, shrugging. "You?"

"Lessons are positively dreadful and I can't get more than seven hours rest before being dragged off to a new set of training." He murmured, propping his head against a fist. "By the way," he said, smiling softly, "Happy Birthday." She looked surprised. "I know I'm a few days late but loathe I am to admit it the timing for these sessions is random." he explained, avoiding eye contact. The seven year old giggled again, bowing slightly.

"Thank you very much." She said, looking like she wanted to hug him, but they had a strict set of rules. No touchy. He had seen what that shit did in TLJ and would have none of it...yet.

"Right then, I take it you haven't forgotten our Oath?" He asked, fearing she might have under the oppression of the Jedi. Thankfully, however, she nodded, standing and taking a deep breath. He followed suit, straightening and taking a lungful of the sterilized O2 on Kamino. She started the mantra.

" _There is no dark side, nor a light side…"_

"There is only the Force..."

" _I will do what I must to keep the balance…"_

"There is no Good without evil…"

" _But Evil must not be allowed to flourish..."_

"There is passion…"

" _Yet peace...there is serenity…"_

"Yet emotion...there is Chaos…'

" _Yet Order…"_

"There is no light without the dark."

" _Through Passion, I gain Focus."_

"Through Knowledge, I gain Power."

" _Through Serenity, I gain Strength."_

"Through Victory, I gain Harmony."

" _There is Freedom in Life."_

"There is Purpose In death."

" _The Force is all things and I am the Force."_

"Very good." He said, smiling at the calm expression on her face. She hid it well, but the path of suppressed emotions she had been led down was getting to her. He could feel the force flowing more smoothly through her as she took deep, controlled breaths. "Without sounding like more of your instructors, well done." He said with a small smile. The sound of a raindrop hitting the window pinged in his ears. Her head whipped to the side at some small noise.

"Times up…" she murmured, standing and brushing off the loose parts of her robes that probably had a bit of dirt from resting there.

"So it seems…" He murmured, frowning slightly at the thought. Determination filled his very being. "I _will_ have this bonding ability under control next time we meet." He said, said. He managed a quick "Goodbye." Before she faded from view, the sound of the storm hitting him like a bullet train. He physically recoiled at the burst of sound, almost tripping on his way backwards. He took a deep breath, turning to head back to his rooms,

 _And slapping face first into the muscled chest of Maul._

"Boy...what was that?" The Zabrak muttered, his eyes flicking between me and the window.

"What was what-?"

"Do not toy with me, boy." He growled. "That Oath...what was it? It's clear there was...something else here." The taller male said, his presence flooding the area. He was trying to sense for Ahsoka!

"Maul...I…"

"You do not need to fear me," Maul said, smirking confidently. "If you are hiding this from our bastard of a mentor then I'm all for it."

' _Ah yes, I forgot that Maul Isn't exactly the biggest fan of Palpatine quite yet…'_ With a sigh, he pulled Maul into his room by the hand. It would be a good few hours before anybody heard from them.

 _But it didn't matter because Maul would die not a month later._

 **-Four years, Two months, Eight Days Later-**

"Ahsoka, _please_ stop ignoring me?" He asked, kneeled on the floor of his room with an angry ten-year-old glowering at something, all while she 'sat' upon his bed.

"You haven't connected with me in _two_ _months!"_ She whispered harshly, flipping through what was probably a holocron in-what he hoped was-a secluded area.

"I know!" He groaned loudly, curling in on himself a bit at her blood-curdling glare. "My...teacher has been pushing me since my fellow app- _classmate_ passed away." He stuttered, shrinking further when she closed the whatever-it-was with a loud _snap._

"And just _what_ was this 'teacher' pushing you for?" She demanded. He flinched, looking away.

"A-Ahsoka you know that I can't-"

"I'm a Jedi." She interrupted, forgoing any subtly with a growl. "Whatever it is you want to hide, I _won't care!"_ The silence that followed was more deafening than the link. Ahsoka visibly took a moment to calm herself, looking a tad regretful as she glanced around, making sure nobody had noticed her commotion on the Tortugan's side. "Look, I-"

"I'm a Sith." He said. She froze, stalling in place and staring at him with wide eyes. "I've been hiding my identity because I know that a Jedi could never look past that fact. I tried. Once I got a handle on the connecting through the Force I tried to contact some of the higher echelons of the order. If they didn't attack me on sight for appearing without warning through the force, they brushed me off as a mad child for being a 'fake' Sith. There were other reactions too." He said.

"I..I Don't…" She stuttered.

"One thought me a form of temptation through the dark side, another thought me a hallucination of his brother. One thought me a 'gift' from the force to...enjoy." If she wasn't horrified before, well…"I feared I would make you hate me. It seems I was wrong. You don't hate me, you fear me." He chuckled bitterly. "You probably wouldn't-"

"I don't care." Now it was his turn to stall, blinking in confusion.

"I...what?" He asked, looking up to find her face mere centimeters from his own.

"I. Don't. Care." She continued, extending her hand and stopping inches from his own. "If you're a Sith then...then I'll have to show you the light. We can be those people from the Oath!" She said, gripping his hands. He panicked for a moment, expecting to see something, but...there was nothing. No future flashes, no emotional exchange, just...sight. He could _see._ They were in a small room, the floor a cold marble with the Jedi symbol burned into it. Through the window, he could see the sprawling skyline of an infinite city.

"Coruscant?" He whispered, looking around in confusion. She looked much the same.

"Aren't you a bit...darkly dressed for a pure white room?" she asked, turning to the window...and freezing. "Holy crap, do you live in a hurricane zone?!" She exclaimed, staring at the great ocean that was, again, storming.

"Welcome to Kamino!" He laughed, moving to stand and walking towards the window. He pulled her with him. "It's beautiful…" He murmured, watching the sun rays trail between the buildings as it slowly set. She too was watching, but out his window. Later in life, he would understand the irony of this scene. The girl of light staring into the stormy darkness, and the boy of shadows marveling at the glowing light.

"Where...exactly do you live?" She murmured, looking almost saddened.

"...It's a planet called Kamino. It was erased from the Jedi Archives by my master. I don't know its exact location, but It's just south of the Rishi maze." He said. He turned to her, opening his mouth to ask why, but her determined eyes spoke a thousand words. "Ahsoka _no!"_

"Ahsoka _yes!"_ the girl giggled, making to speak again-

 _A knocking echoed through the door._

"Young Tano, in there, are you?" a little, wizened voice asked. Without awaiting a response, the door opened. My eyes met those of the legendary master Yoda. I have no shame in admitting that I bitched out of there, dropping Ahsoka's hands and cutting the connection with a yelp. I could _taste_ her lingering anger at me abandoning her with him. ' _Besides, it's not like she could very well hurt me for it.'_

 _The boot that met his crotch the moment he connected with her a week later told him how wrong that thought was._

 **A/N: Well. This is a thing. I hoped you enjoyed. Also, yes I gave our still unnamed OC Snoke's power, yes I changed it a bit, yes I am perfectly okay with the criticism that may get. No hating, please. Reviews are** _ **life.**_


	2. Chapter 2 Memories and Rude Awakenings

**A/N: Well people certainly SEEMED to enjoy this. So I'll continue it.**

"...Alright, I admit...I deserved that one." I murmured, bent double, on my knees.

"Yeah, _just a bit_." Ashoka hissed, glaring down at me, having recovered remarkably from the sudden, disorienting blur that catapulted across both our visions from the sudden and rather jarring impact of her boot to my crotch.

"In my defense...Yoda."

"In my offense, _Yoda!"_

"Again, fair." I drawled, groaning a final time before pushing my way back to being upright. "But this time, at least, I contacted you a little after sunset." I tried, rubbing my neck sheepishly.

She slapped me upside the head, unflinching at the rush of trading scenery brought about by the smack.

"Yeah, thanks, now I gotta keep quiet lest a droid or one of the masters slips in to check on me!" She whispered, climbing onto the open air that was doubtlessly her bed. I slid up and fell into my own with another whimper.

"Next time I'm mad, I'll kick _you_ there, see how ya like it…" I grumbled, rolling onto my back on the smallish bed.

"Yeah, I'm sure." The aggravated Jedi drawled under her breath.

"I mean it!"

"Sure you do."

"God, you are snippy today." I sighed, flipping onto my side, facing Ashoka. "So anyway, how did it go with the resident super-toad?"

Silence.

"...With _Yoda."_

"What? But he's no-HEY!"

"Good lord I really must get your wit into shape." That one earned another boot, this time to the head.

"And _I_ need to teach you manners!"

"My manners are fine, thank you. I just choose not to use them around you because you've always seen me without them." Which was partially true. It was mostly because manners are a _pain_ and I knew Ashoka-young or not-would enjoy my candor.

"I'll see it when I believe it."

"I think you'll be surprised."

"Maybe…" She drawled, flopping backwards. "So, how was your day?"

"Oh, you know…"

 _Lightning crackling across my skin for another failure_

 _The hiss of my training saber clashing with the brainwashed clone's_

 _My throat-rending from agonized screams as I force-lift a gunship_

"Usual training stuff."

"Like meditating with your master?"

"That's...one word for it." I drawled, yellowish-brown eyes flickering to the side. "You?"

"Mostly the same. Meditation, followed by talks on peace and diplomacy, then some saber practice. Mostly stances."

"Sounds...riveting."

"Oh, hush. It's not that bad." She defended. My response was a single arched brow. "I said not _that_ bad." She hissed.

"Yeahuh, I'm sure." And boot number three! This time to the elbow. Wow, it actually really hurt quite a-

 _ **THWACK!**_

I woke with a gunt, my cheek stinging almost as much as my left elbow. Where was-?

" _So, he wakes."_ A droid? " _Get that thing off of him."_

Vision returned with the force of a jackhammer, and I was met with a hologram.

" _Hello, brat."_ the Trandosion on the other end hissed.

"Greetings, ugly." I returned without a second thought. That earned another smack. The brief flicker of anger I felt returned my grasp on the force, and suddenly everything came into a clearer focus.

Ten hostiles, five outside the cell, and another cluster of lifeforms...somewhere above us.

" _It took my men so very long to find you...but it was worth every credit. Now I get to_ watch _you die."_ He snarl-chuckled.

"Perhaps your men are quite incompetent, taking so long." I snarked. Another hit, which drew me further from whatever drug they'd hit me with and deeper into the force.

" _I might agree."_ the lizard-like being chuckled, " _If not for this Jedi who was trying to catch you."_ He drawled, gesturing behind me.

Well, that explained why I was thinking about Ashoka.

Correction, nine guards, one still frustrated Ashoka being held in force-blockers.

Wait, why wasn't I…?

OH!

I laughed, long and hard. "Your men really _are_ incompetent." A rifle butt slammed into my stomach, and I had all the focus I needed.

"… _Whys that?"_ The now wary slaver asked. I really couldn't help the smirk.

"They assumed she was the only one with a lightsaber." In a heartbeat my own Durasteel hilt was flying from my robes, activating midair and shearing my cuffs in two. I caught the glinting cylinder and spun in place, making short work of the two closest guards.

" _He's a Sith!"_ the Trandosian squealed in horror. A twitch of my wrist sent the holo-projector flying into a guard by the door.

The force _screamed_ a warning, and I spun around, lightsaber flashing up to deflect the blaster bolt gunning for my head. It bounced back and nailed the Mandalorian who fired it in the stomach. He was only halfway to the floor when I lept for the final guard in the room, lightsaber freeing the world of his ugly mug in a controlled swipe.

Poor guy hadn't even unholstered his pistol.

I took a moment to sweep the room, thanking the soundproofed door stopping the other guards from storming us.

The captain would probably fix that in a few seconds. I walked to the unconscious guard and dragged him up by his shirt, lifting him between me, Ashoka, and the door. Not a moment too soon.

The door flew open, and a hail of blaster fire came with it. Turns out, Trandosians are very good at being meatshields, because I barely felt the heat.

"Hold fire!" One of them finally shouted, noticing the body's uniform.

"Thanks!" I shouted in the sudden silence, force-pushing the guard's corpse into his former allies with the force of a speeding jet-bike. "Stiiiiiiirike!" I joked under my breath, strolling out the door to make sure they were down.

None dead, probably, but they were all out cold. I turned on a heel and meandered towards the still-a-youngling, who was staring at me in a cross between relief and indignation.

"What?" I asked, oddly defensive under her emerald gaze. She stared a little harder. "Hey, they were gonna kill us! Don't lie to me and say you've never sliced someone in self-defense!"

Annnnd there was the righteous anger. Good, back to normal. "Here." I huffed, slicing her thick hand-clamps, catching her as the field shut down automatically. "Easy, hot-head," I grunted, helping her steady until balance returned. "One more." With a careful draw across her face, the muzzle keeping her silent fell away.

"Thank you, jerk." She said, rubbing her jaw testingly.

"Grab a blaster," I said in response, turning and marching towards the rest of the ship. "You'll need it." I drawled, my lightsaber snapping off with a hiss.

"I don't know how to use one!" She shouted, hurrying after me, skirting the bodies.

"Eh, you're a fast learner." I joked, forcing open a lift and stepping inside. She followed, frowning cautiously.

"You...Uhm..." She suddenly interjected after a few seconds.

"Why were you here?" I cut her off, glancing at her from the corner of my eye.

"I, um, I recognized the view when we hugged. Master Zun'hii brought a big group of younglings here for some specialized training in Force control." She explained, shifting her weight. "I slipped off from the group."

"Barely started hugging and stuff not three months ago and it already screws me." I chuckled, shaking my head softly. "Also. My, oh, my. Becoming a little rebel already?" She glared and opened her mouth to respond.

The force practically took over with how fast I drew my saber, igniting it and sliding in front of Ashoka, deflecting the four blaster bolts that arced through the air towards us.

"Gaccck!"

"Aouughhgg!"

" _Zajt Putra!"_

Came three agonized voices from three of the shooters. The fourth had been nailed in the head and fallen without noise.

"W-Wait! Wait!" Came the captain, the only Slaver to have survived the shots reflection.

"You kidnap me." I hissed, stalking forward. "Kidnap my friend." My hand snapped forward to rip his blaster away with the force, "And kidnap god knows how many people to sell off." I was stood right over him, Lightsaber held high, ready to plunge into his chest. "You've got three chances to convince me."

"Y-You can't head back to the planet without me!"

"I can fly a ship, try again."

"I-I-I-I-I'm, um, I'm influential!"

"Too influential, why do you think I was dismantling your operation?"

"I'll give you anything! Money, ships, weapons! I-I'll give you a portion of my haul for free."

"I don't negotiate with assholes, slavers, or terrorists. You meet two of those three criteria. Goodbye."

"Noo-AAAAAAA!"

 **-About twenty minutes later-**

"Really?"

"You were gonna execute him!"

"Yeah, cause he deserves it!"

"I _know_ that but it's not right to just murder him!"

"It's not murder, its rightful execution."

"There's no such _thing_ as rightful execution!"

"Tell that to your Republic."

"You know what, focus on landing!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

 **A/N: For those curious, Wise God comes next in my update list. Hope you enjoyed**


	3. Chapter 3 The Shadow-Blossom Grows

**A/N: I don't know why I keep doing alternate pov chapters so don't ask cause my brain i NG as is.**

Sheev Palpatine was an emotional man. He enjoyed laughing, smiling, and watching productions put on by whatever theater he could make time to reach. He was a charismatic politician because he _enjoyed_ talking to others, enjoyed living life.

Darth Sidious was _not_ very emotional. Ever. He was cold, defensive, and was able to pull the strings of other people as only someone with years of experience, having _started_ _out_ gifted in the art, could. He was born of a cold vengeance and looked for something else to avenge himself on when his original target was...paid back.

The Jedi sufficed.

When you put them together, well...It was what made him such a powerful Sith. His lack of channeling only hatred and rage, and instead embracing every emotion he could get a handle on during a fight, or at any moment really.

But there was the crux of it. Putting them _together._ The force-user was aware his rather...uniqe training left his mind less-than-in-one-piece, but split personality was oftentimes hard to keep concealed. Not for Sheev, but Sidious oftentimes had difficulty holding his more emotional side back during the...filthier parts of his lifestyle choices.

Bah, enough ruminating. He had _finally_ started the war that would-one way or another-lead to the total destruction of the Jedi.

Which was one of the reasons that made the current dilemma such a confusing issue.

Sidious was marching through the stark halls of Kamino, his onyx robes clashing with its vibrant features. He was moving with a purpose, specifically, a purpose for his apprentice.

His apprentice was, in a word, _weird._ The boy made obvious references to things neither Sheev or Sidious had heard of, fought with a peculiar style that involved spinning and a heavy reliance on surprise, distraction, and unpredictability-something that brought him close to _actually beating_ Sidious-and just...stared at things.

Even when he was not but a child, the small, red creature stared with pity and sadness after his clone brethren, almost as if he _knew_ he would be pitted against them in the war…

No, that simply wasn't possible.

Regardless, Sidious had a mission for his curious protege, and just as he reached the younglings door-

Music.

At first, he didn't recognize it. The instrument and words were foreign, and while Sheev could hardly claim to know every language out there, even he was stumped.

But music wasn't about language, not really.

He felt his heart warm with familiarity and understanding the longer the song went on.

The moment he realized that he, Sidious, was...was _feeling_ these things that his other half practically hoarded, he flinched- _physically flinched!_ -away from the door. This...this was…

Sidious fled, all thoughts of the mission evaporating.

Sheev begged him to go back, to listen to the haunting melodies and uplifting feeling.

Sidious was tempted. So tempted, in fact, that he barely noticed when Sheeve tried to take control and turned them around. Oh, he wrested the emotional man from the forefront almost immediately, but it was the fact that he, _Darth Sidious,_ almost lost control over that music…

Well, he had always seen the benefits of propaganda, and maybe, just maybe, he had an idea.

 **-Later, aboard the** _ **Devastation of Criphstophsis.**_ **-**

Large and cavernous as they were, brimming with droids like a hive of insects though they might be, the ships of the separatists were lifeless, cold, and much too spartan for my tastes. I mean, yeah, warships are meant to not be the most personalized of places but _still._

Even the cushions on the bridge chairs were solid and neigh-on useless, not designed for fleshy sitters.

But, here I sat, two ships over from the legendary Spider tactician, watching the wide bridge windows before us. Any minute now there should be-

A Venator slammed into view, the legendary thrum of exiting hyperspace a quiet rumble against my feet, but oh how I smiled regardless. "And so the fun begins…" I chuckled. The order to fire trickled through the coms and a wave of my hand sent the metallic crew into action.

It was almost disappointing how the mighty sounds of the space-batteries weren't nearly as dramatic as in the show and movies, but the faint echo was nostalgic none-the-less. I couldn't help the smirk that blossomed upon my face when the Republic's ship bay opened for but a few seconds before turning about, retreating to meet the rest of its compatriots behind the crystalline city-planets moon. I reached out cautiously with the force, brushing against two signatures, amused at the way they slammed guards up in preparation at the contact.

 _Sound drifted away, and two men in varied yet clearly Jedi clothing appeared, surprise coloring their faces at what was no doubt a cloaked figure, resting on one hand, face obscured….who was floating in space._

" _Do keep your heat signature in check, gentlemen."_

 _The connection snapped and sound rushed back in at the same speed the duo vanished._

My smirk grew and I slowly rose, turning and leaving the bridge with a flourish. "269857, I leave you in charge." I told the yellow-painted B-1, not responding to his confusion or queries as I left, entering the closest elevator and riding it to the hangar bay.

Stepping aboard the solar sailor and shedding my cloak was almost as easy as remote starting it with controlled bursts of pressurized force hitting _just_ the right buttons with proper force. I slid into the pilot's chair and left the ship.

Thirty seconds after my departure saw the ship detonating with the speed and power of an angry meteor.

Ten seconds later another ship followed.

And another.

And another.

And more and more until only the 'dear' admiral's direct entourage were the sole surviving vessels.

It was enough to minimalize casualties for the Republic without completely annihilating the Separatists ability to put up a fight.

Win, win.

I guided my ship to the planet's surface, landing in a hidden-and rather destroyed-plaza and disembarking, dragging up the hood of my much-less restrictive(cloaky) outfit.

I moved with a purpose, gliding through the beautifully crafted, horrifically thrashed streets, ready to set my plans further into action, all without anyone being the wiser.

 **A/N: Please let me know what you think. Not exactly my best but I think it's pretty good. Love you all.**


	4. Chapter 4 It kicks off

**A/N: Ehehehehe**

 **Correlia**

My stint running things in the background on Christophsis was as effective as it was short. A clue or two left here, a little evidence there, and the Jedi would have no doubts that someone bearing a lightsaber had done something a little sneaky.

If those hints led them to information on where a large Droid production facility on Geonosis was, then so be it.

Now I was doing a much...different mission. Still subtle, but. Well, the basically nude women and greedy, hamfisted-men screamed 'gentlemen's club' more than the sign resting just outside. Slipping through the surprisingly packed club was easy, snagging a bottle of...honestly not a clue was much easier, my path towards the back of the room as unimpeded as it was unnoticed.

I finally got to my intended door, a light application of the force bypassing the lock and letting me into the back room. I strolled confidently inside, smiling charmingly at the older, mostly collared women around me, without slowing on my path towards the group of men laughing and drinking as they looked at the view from a rather spacious window.

Or, that's what they _were_ doing before noticing my reflection, turning and then standing, defensive confusion radiating from their every pore.

" _Who the hell are you?"_ The furry, what was clearly a ringleader, alien demanded in Huttesse, his goons resting hands on their sides.

The reference came without a pause. "I'm what you might call a...champagne problem."

 **Couresant**

Ashoka stepped into the quiet parlor, marching her way past the many drinking patrons, waving off a serving droid as she b-lined towards the only door near the back, giving the control panel a hardy kick when she couldn't find the locking mechanism with the force.

It slid open, much to the surprise of the many gamblers waiting on the other side. Without giving them a glance she stormed forward, moving for the confused men sitting in the only booth not accompanied by some form of 'gaming' table.

"Who the hell are you?!" The accented Human sitting at the furthest back point demanded.

"I'm what you might call an ice-cold can of Kick-Butt." A twitch of her shoulders sent her cloak spilling off. "And I just so happen to have a set of can openers." Her lightsabers ignited one after the other, accompanied by a confident smirk.

 **Correlia**

A twitch of my wrist disarmed the goons, and a cocky grin sent them charging me. I ducked the first, reptilian fist, my own cannoning up to catch him in the jaw, followed by the top of the bottle slamming into the back of his Trandosian knee.

Spinning with the moment of his fall, I threw him into another goon, grin widening as the human's eyes did. They both went down hard.

I jumped over a kick from a dug, my own leg arcing out to catch him in the throat, putting him down in one. A larger one, the name escaped me, but he was the species Obi-Wan disarmed(HA!) In Episode IV, approached next, roaring in his language.

The top of the bottle cannoned into his crotch, and a swift backhand sent his suddenly kneeling form falling away.

A large set of arms wrapped around my waist, picking me up rather suddenly. The wide, sturdy bottom of the bottle crashed into his nose, shattering at. "Oh. Sorry Ma'am, thought you were a man." A roundhouse kick blasted the Rodian _woman_ into a nearby...what I could only assume was a 'practice pole.'

His goons down, I turned to the terrified Bothan with a sweet smile. "Really thought that would'a broke." I hefted the bottle, eyeing it appreciatively. "Oh well." A flick of my wrist fired the bottle into the face of an approaching Guard Droid, taking the head clean off and finally shattering the damn thing, sending the stunned stripers from their stupor, causing them to flee.

 **Couresant**

Ashoka's lightsabers arced out, cutting through the last guard droid, smirking as it fell. It was the thirtieth she put down in half as many minutes. The Humans clearly shitty guards dropped their own weapons and fled the destroyed gambling den, following the many illegal players who had fled not minutes before.

She flew at the boss, landing in a crouch on the table in front of him, one lightsaber to his throat.

"We're gonna play a game," She drawled, taking inspiration from a certain Red friend of hers. "It's called hangman. I'm gonna ask you some questions, and if I don't like the answer I get…" Her free lightsaber came up to run a path close to his throat, cutting off his brown beard and scorching the skin of his neck from proximity. "Now then, you're gonna tell me everything you know about Project Amalgam, or I'm gonna show you how rough a Jedi Mind-Trick can be when we... _push the issue."_

 **Correlia**

The window exploded with a wave of one hand, and a quick dart forward with the other caught the Bothan mobster by the back of his neck-a somewhat secret weak spot-and dragged him out the window with every step I took closer.

" _Y-You're a Jedi?!"_ he exclaimed in shock. I smirked and drew my lightsaber, activating it for only a moment.

"Wrong end of the spectrum." I stowed it again, pulling him a bit towards the inside as I got a little closer to the edge. "Now you're gonna tell me where you sent that several-billions worth of Capital-Class durasteel. But you're not gonna tell me because I'm holding you out a window. You're gonna tell me, because I'm the guy who might drop you anyway."

 **A Little later**

The mobster screamed at me in huttesse as I left, his own clothes holding him upside down, nude, out the window. As I left the strip club, I opened every shock collar in the room as I passed them, smirking at the sounds of slaps and breaking glass as I left, sliding into my ship and lifting off, darting away.

 **Same time, Couresant**

Ashoka smiled happily as she dragged the slightly balder, shaken human from the den, saluting to the Red-painted clones that held the patrons who had fled prisoner, giving them the boss. Spending a few minutes to chat with them and subtly threaten the den owner to keep quiet, she left towards the temple.

It wasn't subtle, but the clones really couldn't find it in themselves to care.

It was on the path to the temple that she felt sound waver for a moment before drifting back, muffled a tad. "Hey!" She exclaimed happily, brining a wrist up to her mouth, pretending to speak over the com there. "What's up?"

"Not much." Her best, and most secret, friend responded, his red skin lost somewhere in the crowd as she continued along. "Just following a purchase my master made to be sure it makes it there. You?" her lips twitched up, then down, before returning to her cheery grin.

"Oh, not all that much either. Just following up on some stuff we got from a worm." He hummed understandingly.

"I know the feeling. Anyways, how's the war going on your end?"

"Not too bad, yet. You?"

"Nothing I haven't seen before. Hey, I might be seeing you soon." that made her pause for a second, smiling widely.

"Really?!" She asked, skipping a bit as she rounded a bend, the temple now in sight a not-too-long way down the path before her.

"I think you'll be surprised if we do. Ah, crap. I uh...got some guys not happy with my check-in following me. See you later." She hummed in understanding this time, sensing the men quickly approaching her even through the muddle that his connections brought.

"See you soon!"

"Bye now."

She whipped around, boot catching one in the stomach. Sighing, she cracked her neck, glaring at the assembled criminals.

"Work never ends."

 **A/N: What can I say, I love the movie.**


	5. Chapter 5 Flight of the Malevolence

**A/N: The tale continues.**

So, the funny thing about being Sidious' hidden weapon. I had to hide from _everyone._ Republic, Separatist, it really didn't matter to him. In fact, if he knew I'd bunked out in a ship _belonging_ to the CIS-much less one actively crewed-above Christophsis for almost a week he'd have tanned my hide with lightning.

Lots of lightning.

But that wasn't here nor there. What _was_ here was my dumb ass, clinging for dear life to the bottom of a train speeding at god-only-knows-how-fast inside the Malevolent. And what was _there_ was the angry sounds of a stomping General Grievous above me, shouting orders and pacing back and forth across the mid-ship vehicle's durasteel top.

I may or may not have sabotaged a few systems on "accident" when he was cutting down ships, without him knowing. Now, however, either he or Dooku had caught on because the walking ego-machine had been looking for me with a _vengeance._

Thank the force I knew the vent systems thanks to Sidious' _brilliant_ plan to give me the layout of the ship to keep hidden, or he might well have had me.

My current nest was made in a melding vent, where several air-paths met up, causing a large, roughly circular area big enough to make a small house in, constantly at a comfortable temperature.

A work in progress, but Casa de Vent was serving its purpose well thusfar.

The stomping faded up and to my right

' _Which means Grievous is facing the front of the train!'_ Opportunism wasn't something Sidious had really doubled down on me learning, but, well, gift horses and all that.

I let go.

The air snapped to try and slow me, very much disliking my sudden existence ripping through it as I tumbled out of sight from my previous ride, putting my feet between my face and the floor rushing up to meet me. I cast out with the force, dragging the partly stale ship air in a bubble before me, meeting even _more_ air resistance, and slowing at the cost of increased friction.

I was, again, envious that the Jedi learned how to slow falls by tugging themselves up with the force. I wasn't eager to experiment with that one without supervision, for fear of my spine no longer taking residence inside my back.

Paranoid? Maybe. Possible? _Definitely._

All _I_ knew how to do was Force...Push…

' _Wow, I'm a top-tier moron.'_

I threw out a hand, _Pushing_ against the ship's artificial gravity until I was barely moving at a crawl, and my feet tapped gently against the dark, grimy, wire-ridden floor of the Malevolent's positively cavernous interior.

"I wonder what all of these even _do._ " I mused, looking at what could only be several cities worth of wiring and electrical tubes. "Oh well, time to find out!"

Ah, how both freeing and terrifying impulsiveness can be.

My lightsaber arced out, slicing a red-hot swath through the extensive cords, and quickly darted away, slipping into a nearby ventilation shaft as alarm bells rung and the ship rocked like she was under fire. I crawled, slowly but surely, through the tight, damp tunnels, only occasionally uncomfortable at the twisting cold and hot air that exploded through every now and again.

It took nearly ten minutes of climbing, sliding, and avoiding _really_ big fans, but I eventually returned to my little campsite, brushing off what dust I could with my hands before clearing myself with a roiling tug of the force across my skin. Dinner sounded nice. So I cracked my neck and sat on my bed-my cloak and a mildly soft bag of old, yet thankfully odorless fruit I'd found in the ship's disposal system.

It was midway through eating a Ration bar when I felt the Tug.

The Tug was what Ahsoka and I used to contact one another. Or, well, what _she_ did to catch _my_ attention. Turns out repeated "force calls" was enough to make a Bond, despite your average Jedi needing prolonged _actual_ contact with someone to feel them-and the things happening to them-more prominently, and from a distance.

Like Anakin did with _literally everyone he mildly liked._ Seriously, that man has some creepy force potential.

Anyways, since only I could open the "channel" for us to talk, she needed a way to catch my attention. Now, let it never be said I didn't have my own methods, but Ahsoka, clever thing she was, thought up the Tug.

One thing the Jedi did to meditate and keep calm was to release their feelings into the force itself. Which sounds a lot more hippie-stoner than it really is. In doing so, however, they lit up like a small beacon to any Force Users nearby the more they let off. By letting off a particularly strong emotion-fear, anger, etc-Ahsoka's presence in our bond would spike, and caused me to feel a Tug that brought my awareness to her.

Again, her idea, and infinitely clever, because anyone non-Jedi would assume it a Jedi thing and not bug her, while any _actual_ Jedi would give her some privacy to 'calm herself' and 'let it all flow into the living Force.'

Two birds, one cleverly disguised stone.

' _Exposition to yourself later, talk to Ahsoka now.'_ I hopped up...and promptly collapsed back down. "Ow. Okay, sitting it is." I groaned, trying to shove down my sudden nausea as I forged the connection, eyes screwed shut.

 _Sound drifting away._

 _The thrum and distant shake falling into naught but whispers._

My eyes fluttered open, and there she was, smiling softly as she removed herself from a meditative pose. "Hey, Red!" She exclaimed, cheery as always.

"Evening, 'Soka." I returned, waving faintly. She hopped up and meandered closer, leaning against something that wasn't there.

"I'm out a window, aren't I?"

Her giggle spoke a thousand words.

"Couresanti airspace currently running through me?"

"Nope!" She snorted, and cracked her neck, readjusting her stance. "At the moment you're drifting through space."

"Ah." I hummed knowingly, nodding like the sage I absolutely wasn't. "How fitting." She didn't question _why_ it was fitting, simply shifted again, her emerald eyes darting to the side before dragging themselves back to me slowly.

I sighed and put the ration bar down. "Speak." I ordered.

"What?" Ahsoka asked, blinking quickly.

"Somethings up, so tell me." I explained, stretching out one arm, then the other, slowly drifting to my feet, fighting the steadily climbing nausea.

Ahsoka sighed, slumping. "You've gotta teach me to read people."

"I will, promise, now what's bugging you."

"I'm off to join the effort on Christophsis. I...I'm not sure I'm-" My hands smacked against her cheeks, and I was suddenly partway through a viewport, squeezing her face.

"What did we say?"

"I'm worf the universe."

"And?"

"I'll on'y ge' be'er."

"Good girl." I teased, patting twice on her head between her horns, dancing away before her fist could catch my chin. A sudden rocking shook my legs, and everything started to spin. "Oh...That's not good." The connection snapped and I fell on my butt, blinking hard and slow. "Ow…" I groaned, hand finding my forehead with a half-hearted slap.

The world spun, but the ship was still.

This was confusing. I'd never been sick before, and I'd been on the ship for almost a week so whatever it was would've taken root earlier if it was a natural affliction. Which meant something less so. It couldn't be the vents, cause I'd found this little hideaway on day two and had been traveling through them this whole time. Whatever had done this was new, maybe a day or two old, something that I wouldn't think twice about. What the bloody hell could have caused _that_ on a ship where I was alone with naught but my own gear bar...

 _Bar the fruit._

The only living being on the ship was Grievous, who didn't need to eat. Which means when I found this in the trash compactor-

I had just barely thrown myself into one of the closer vents, cloak flying to my outstretched hand when the southwest Maintenance port exploded. I was slipping away through the maze of cramped airways with the speed of an Olympic sprinter when the first blaster bolts struck the vent I had vanished into. I crawled and lept and sped away for almost ten minutes straight before my limbs gave out and I collapsed in the middle of a tight vent. Consciousness slipped away as the vague tang of blood slid itself into my mouth.

Ahsoka was going to be livid.

If I woke up, anyway.

Especially if I didn't.

 **A/N: What's with me and cliffhangers right now? Kinda short, I know, but I have a holiday surprise inbound.**


End file.
